Three common systems for transferring electronic messages are direct e-mail, mailing lists, and bulletin board services. With direct e-mail, a user sends messages to individuals and receives electronic messages from individuals. With a mailing list, upon a user subscribing to a list, which usually corresponds to one or more particular topics of interest, a mailing list manager delivers all the electronic messages posted to the list to the subscribed user. In a bulletin board type environment, a plurality of users can post or upload electronic messages to a common location for others to see, comment on, or the like. Conversationally related messages, or threads, develop as additional electronic messages are added to the bulletin board system. The bulletin board system may contain messages that are conversationally related, plus messages in which users have interjected additional comments that may or may not pertain to the subject matter in the original thread.